Wanting to know you Wens.

After my twin sister Marianne and my future sister-in-law Christina shared their ultimate Christmas wishlist, I thought it would be fun to round up some things I wouldn't mind finding under our tree. 

First and always, ROBBIE WILLIAMS. ok ok, i'll settle for his 20 years in music commemorative magazine

Vintage Inspired Tissue Tassel Garland 

Mossimo Viveca Blingy high heels {though let's be honest, i haven't thought of wearing heels since I gave birth. But maybe these would give me back my groove}

Mindy Kaling's book because she's my bff even if she doesn't know it yet. i love The Mindy Project!

Heart initial ring engraved with the letter F

Citrus Lane membership (from their website: members "get a box every month filled with cute and practical products recommended by real moms")

Felix the Cat clock for Fe's nursery

and not pictured are these Dexter Blood Spatter coasters i have been wanting for like EVER.


What's on your wishlist? 

Wanting to know you Wens.

happy little things

when a song you love plays on the radio while you're driving

packages addressed to my little Felix Maxham

having my first beer in 11 months during my 1st night out with friends
{i made it to nearly 1 a.m.}

commercials that make you laugh, like this one  (poor michael jordan)

returning to pilates

hoodies for babies

when a Pumpkin Spice Latte + pedi in OPI shim-merry chic happens in the same day 

talking to my twinkie and laughing til we're crying

hot pockets

taking naps with my baby girl and waking up to that face below

what are some of your happy little things? 

Wanting to know you Wens.

thanks to lindsay of hello hue's instagram feed, i found printstagram.com. 

i loved the quality of the squares and think next time i'll have to make a tiny book of Felix-- wouldn't that be a cute stocking stuffer for family?

i love how i've met other mamas/friends and blogs to crush on through IG. 

are you on instagram? let's be friends :) leave me your instagram handle below or find me @dolcemicaela

Wanting to Know you Wens.

My guilty pleasure is Hart of Dixie-- i just love Rachel Bilson.  I happily breathed a sigh of relief when it was renewed for another season. Me and Marianne always say we wish we could live in Bluebell ;) I'm Team George and she's Team Wade (Faiza wants you to know she's Team Levon).

Besides Hart of Dixie, i mentioned how thrilled i was to have Dexter back on my Sunday nights. I'm also glad for Grey's Anatomy (and because i don't believe in spoilers i won't get specific but gosh,  the changes!)

A new show i'm loving is The Mindy Project. Besides Dexter, it's the only one my husband will watch with me. I desperately want to be Mindy's friend and thanks to tonight's episode, i can't wait to go dancing again.

Lovies, what shows are you watching? tell me what i'm missing out on below, or if you watch the same shows i do-- tell me what you think of their new seasons so far. 

Wanting to know you Wens : Baby Bump Virtual Date!

me at 30 weeks with our baby girl Felix (expected birthday 9/17/2012 *soon!!!)

Even before i was pregnant, i always loved seeing photos of baby bumps. I'm excited for this virtual play date because how pretty were/are you all rocking your bump? 

Lindsay was 26 weeks pregnant with her twin boys (whom she calls Peanut and Lovebug on her blog. Seriously, they are so adorable!). This was at her baby shower. 

Holly at 31 weeks with her first baby, a baby boy named Jonas. I am so glad I found Holly's blog since our due dates are close together (she's currently 38 weeks). 

Christina (my brother's girlfriend) when she was 38 weeks pregnant with my beautiful niece Marisol. {I had to include this sweet photo of my brother laying on them}

Jaimie (my girlfriend back home) when she was 33 weeks pregnant with her son Justin Bryant.

Jessica when she was 38 weeks pregnant with her son Reeve, who was born on March 21st. I have to share this sweetness from her email:  Being pregnant was the best experience of my life. I enjoyed every day and prayed that my hands would know what to do when they could no longer rub my belly. I was so sad that they would miss that joyous, personal experience. How naive was I to think that was something I would miss? Having my son in my arms, holding him, rubbing his soft and fuzzy head, his skin, tracing his cheeks....THAT is what my hands were meant to do.

Claudia (who just celebrated a birthday - happy birthday!) when she was about 36 weeks along with her first born Sophia, who will be 11 this January. 

Erin when she was 32 weeks pregnant with her second son Sawyer (pictured with her then 2-year-old son Dylan). She was 37 weeks above. From her email:  I really looked like I had a giant basketball under my top, didn't I? Sawyer was a big baby (9 lbs, 5 oz) but that was getting to be a bit ridiculous! And would you believe I went 5 days past my due date with him? Oh my, was I ever uncomfortable! It was worth it though. So worth it. What they say about labour is true. It hurts like hell, but you'd do it again in a heartbeat to get that beautiful baby.

Lottie who is currently 29 weeks with her first, a baby girl (name, yet to be decided).

Karina on the day she endured 18 hours of natural labor to have her now 9 year old son Miguelito. I told Kary her expression says it all :) 

Skye when she was 37 weeks pregnant with her now 5 month old daughter Ever (how i love that name!)

Elaine at both of her baby showers : L- almost 8 months pregnant with Dylan (November 22, 2008) R-2 weeks prior to having her second son Kaelan (dated April 4, 2011). I love this from her email: Go figure, I had cake on my hands both times! I was a fanatic for sweets my whole pregnancy. It's a wonder I only put on 17 lbs for Dylan and 14 lbs for Kaelan! 

*i on the other hand can't even admit out loud how much weight i've gained in this pregnancy, it's so high!

Cassie who is currently at 33 weeks pregnant with a baby girl (she's also has triplet step daughters). 

Thank-you to everyone who played along and shared a photo of your sweet baby bumps. We'll have to do a follow up virtual date of mama + baby soon xo

Wanting to know you Wens : let's see your baby bump!

Again, I want to say thank-you lovies for putting up with all my baby posts-- especially like today's when it's especially directed to Moms.   

from my maternity shoot // my 30 week baby bump

With only 12 more days until Felix's due date, i thought i would bring back our virtual dates! i have always loved seeing baby bump photos and thought, what better than seeing some of my darling readers during their pregnancies?

If you're currently pregnant or already a Mama, dig out a photo of you rocking your baby bump. It can be from your maternity shoot, one you made your husband take, or one you snapped with your phone in front of the mirror.

my twinkie snapped this one on her phone during our CA girls' trip // 21 weeks

Send your photo to micaela.maxham[at]gmail.com and i'd love to share it on my dolce vita next wens. (unless i go into labor before then). Please include how many weeks you are/were, baby's name/gender + your blog link if you have one with the subject : baby bump.

i can't wait to see what you lovies looked during a most magical time in your lives xo

Wanting to know you Wens.

Lately, I've been craving a good casserole.  Here's an easy one I made the other night when i was craving comfort food : 

i snapped a photo to show my momma i successfully made this recipe she gave me and my belly couldn't help but make an appearance. And yes, i live in husband's undershirts these days.

With delivery nearing (so crazy sweet i get to meet my daughter soon!), i'm looking for easy casserole/crock pot dinners we --my husband-- can put together. 

Lovies, help a hungry pregnant girl who doesn't cook out? 

Please leave me your favorite easy recipe in the comments below? (you can also leave a link to pintrest, cooking blog, etc) 

*Even though I'm vegetarian, i can substitute soy products  

i can't wait to read your suggestions and write down recipes on these cute cards Phoenix sent me.

Wanting to know you Wens.

Courtney (one of my book club girls) had posted a photo of what she was reading the other day: Harriet the Spy. She said she needed a break from the heaviness that was her last read and couldn't resist a childhood fave.

I thought that was a brilliant idea. In need of a break from pregnancy/breastfeeding books (and to combat restlessness), I think i'll pick up one of these off my bookshelves. Besides The Baby-sitters Club series, here were my most favorite Young Adult reads:

(my copy was one of the first things my bestie Marisa ever sent me)

Did you read any of these? What were some of your childhood/YA favorites? 

Wanting to Know you Wens.

I actually borrowed this idea from my friend Ellen who posted a photo of McKayla Maroney's now famous scowl on the podium and wrote, "This is how I feel about the cost of childcare in the DC area."

that's how i feel about health insurance.

and Heeltastic (though half of it is i just can't stand the smell of ginger).


what's making you scowl these days? 

Wanting to Know you Wens.

(or the post i hope my daughter never sees)

By now, i hope you've all had the pleasure of seeing Magic Mike. I meant to write this Wanting to Know you post ages ago, right after the movie came out. Alas, i went out of town and now it's a bit untimely but the upside of that is maybe all of you reading this has seen it. 

I actually wasn't going to go because i wasn't sure who to go with (i can only drag my husband to so many movies - i.e. all the twilight movies thus far) and i told twinkie this on the phone one day driving home from work. Her response? something i completely forgot about : "this coming from the girl who was asked to go home with a stripper?!" 

it was settled. i immediately called up two of my girlfriends and we had a girl date planned. 

My Magic Mike experience (my 1st and only) was when I was 18 and a bunch of girlfriends and i went to see some male dancers. It was as fun as Magic Mike portrayed it to be -- and just for you readers, i'll share my crazy stripper story! 

i'm pretty small chested (even pregnant, i don't have these huge boobs lindsay misses) so i could get away without wearing a bra. The hottest stripper was also the host and his stage name was Romeo. He picked me up and put me in a chair and in the middle of dancing on me, he knelt down and put his head under my shirt ... how was he to know i wasn't wearing a bra? 

OH MY GOSH, i was so embarrassed! (of all places to be embarrassed... i know). my girlfriends were all laughing because they knew what he was seeing.

And that my friends, is my Magic Mike story. 

i can't believe i'm posting these photos ha

your turn! have you ever gone with your girlfriends to see male strippers? did you get a lap dance? did you fall in love with Channing Tatum after seeing Magic Mike? *okay if you didn't answer yes to at least that last one...  

Wanting to Know you Wens.

A week away from being 7 months pregnant (i know, where did the time go?!), it's hard to feel especially sexy. 

Something that i've started doing that has helped is wearing sexy underwear. I might as well take advantage of these big boobs while i have them and before i have to transition to maternity bras (and even then, i'm going to be on the hunt for prettier ones). 

And you know what lovies? it's working. Just today as I got out of the shower and was getting ready for work, my husband saw me changing and asked me if i was wearing that (talking about my black lacy number) underneath my clothes. 

Yep.

oh the look on his face. 

i may feel very pregnant but i still want to feel sexy, for me. 

photo 

so what do you do for yourself (and a bonus for the husband/boyfriend) to feel sexy/beautiful? 

wearing red lipstick? spraying perfume on your collar bone? ideas please.

Wanting to Know you Wens.

The other day a message thread popped into my facebook inbox reminding me that my 10 year high school reunion was just around the corner. The two day event is in November (a month after i will have given birth to my first baby) and I feel a little weird about it all. I know a lot of it is because i can't believe it's been ten whole years.

Since I live out of town and will have a newborn baby to be caring for (!!! sorry, it still hits me at odd times), I dismissed the thought of actually going right away-- as soon as I saw the email. But then part of me wondered if i would regret it? (the other part of me reminded me i could just as well go to any of the two bars in town on a Friday night and it would very much be like said reunion)

Since i still have time to think about it, i wanted to hear your experiences.

high school me signing yearbooks. didn't you just love yearbook day? look how short my hair was!

Did you go to your 10 year high school reunion? 
If you didn't, why didn't you? 


& if you still have a few years to think about it, do you think you'll be attending yours?


+ i loved reading these answers to this wanting to know you question, related to high school

Wanting to know you Wens.

Have you ever gone on a blind date? or gone on a date with someone you met through the internet?

I did both with a guy named Travis. Remember myspace? We met on there. We had friends in common so I wasn't worried he would turn out to be someone crazy.

I can remember how thrilling it was when i'd see his name in my inbox. It was exciting exchanging getting to know you emails with hints of future things we would do together.

Countless messages later, we decided to finally meet and go out to dinner. I remember being so nervous waiting for him to ring my doorbell. He was as cute and as fun as he was in his emails.

We'd meet up here and there and had one hot night in the back of his new truck---though we never became anything serious (bad timing).

Travis was my only experience of both meeting someone off the internet/blind date and what a good one it was. In fact, we're still facebook friends and awhile back he texted to congratulate me on my pregnancy.

It made me smile, just like his emails back in college.

photo 

what about you? & if you haven't done either, would you? 


share your blind date / internet dating experiences-- the good and the bad below :  

Wanting to know you Wens.

I couldn't put it down and once or twice i've texted my twinkie, "i'm in love with christian grey."  

Yes, as in 50 Shades of Grey. I just finished book one and can't wait to get started on the next one. I know, it's poorly written and unrealistic in many ways... but man oh man, there's just something about it that makes you want more. 

Are you reading it and if so what do you think? 

+ who do you picture as Christian Grey? 

Marianne pictures her crush from White Collar and Steph pictures her crush from True Blood. 

This is my Christian Grey:

sexy Colin Egglesfield

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on the book and who you picture as CEO of Grey Enterprises. 

Wanting to know you Wens.

photo : kirsty

I'd like to eat outside more often. i realize this would require some proper outdoor furniture-- but for now i think i would enjoy even just my morning coffee better mixed with fresh air. Plus, we have a pretty view from our back porch.

what is something you would you like to do more often? 

read? workout? have sex? (okay so I'm currently reading 50 Shades of Grey...ha)

Wanting to Know you Wens.

This time next week i will be in Wichita Falls, TX. I can't wait to be back at my parent's -- the endless mother-daughter time and of course, getting to be inseparable from my twin sister again. We'll get to celebrate our 28th birthday together thanks to her husband (it was his gift for us).

I'm so close to my family that moving away was one of the hardest things i've done {and one of the bravest}. There's no better feeling than coming home.

poppy and pinecone

where do you call home? and where do you live now? 

Wichita Falls is home // right now me and my husband live in El Paso, TX.

Wanting to Know you Wens.

what was the last movie you watched on Netflix? would you recommend it? 

last night me and my husband watched HappyThankYouMorePlease on netflix's instant watch. I read a review where someone called it this year's Garden State, and i have to say that's a pretty good comparison. I was amazed that Josh Radnor wrote, directed, and starred in this film. If this movie was a book, i would have underlined a bunch of his lines.

your turn. suggest a movie for me, please! and if you saw this one, what did you think? (the dinner scene between sam#2 and annie, le sigh)

+ another good netflix watch i saw recently

Wanting to Know you Wens.

okay lovies, i need some hair care suggestions! 

i have to admit that on my last store run, i went for the cheap bottle of salon selectives. It was a jumbo size bottle with a pump for $3. $3! 

Maybe it would work for "normal healthy" hair but my thick hair tends to be like my skin-- a combination of oily & dry. ugh. i think in this case, i got what i paid for. *please know that if you use this as your hair routine, i'm incredibly jealous that i can't cos my hair is so brittle :) i'm in no way insulting you or the product!* 

i'm usually a herbal essence kind of gal, but before i purchase another set i thought i'd ask what you used. 

So tell me, what's the best brand of shampoo/conditioner at the drug store? or if you splurge a little more, what brand do you swear by?

and just because i love me some Elvis, a shower pic for you that i first fell in love with over at April's.

Wanting to Know you Wens.

Since Valentine's Day is around the corner, i thought we could share "Date Night" ideas. 

Here are some i shared with Jasmine, during our life in lists swap that are tried and true : 

your turn, love bird!  i can't wait to hear (and do) some of your ideas. 

Wanting to Know you Wens.

i love a good celebrity crush. there's the obvious ones that we can all agree to {johnny depp, ryan gosling, forever brad pitt, maybe even zac effron these days... i mean have you seen this trailer? thx twinkie!}.

But today i wanted to talk about the not so obvious celebs on anyone's crush radar except perhaps yours. Wanna know who i have big crushes on? 

Steve Carrell. He touched my heart in Little Miss Sunshine, stole it in Dan in Real Life, but cinched it in Crazy Stupid Love.

Tom Hanks. Can you think of one movie of his that you didn't like? he's amazing. He seems that way off-screen too. One of the reasons i find him attractive is he seems like such a good husband.

these guys make me swoon. i find them incredibly sexy even if they don't look like your "obvious" idea of sexy.


your turn! tell me who's your not-so-obvious crush, crush?


(my twin sister shared her not-so-obvious girl crush here)